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Monday, July 1, 2002
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Eric Davis |
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Steelers’ 3-4 defense |
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ProFootballWeekly.com
asks personnel expert Joel Buchsbaum for his thoughts on the hottest topics in
football.
Lions secure veteran CB Davis
The Lions agreed to terms with 13-year veteran CB Eric Davis. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound
defensive back has played in 175 NFL games and has 37 career interceptions. The
34-year-old Davis is expected to challenge for a starting position against veterans Terry
Fair and Todd Lyght. Davis was originally a second-round selection out of Jacksonville
State by the 49ers and then signed with the Panthers in 1996. Davis still holds franchise
records in Carolina for most career interceptions (25), most career interception-return
yards (228) and most interceptions returned for touchdowns in a season (two, 1998). Davis
has also participated in two Pro Bowls, in 1995 with the Niners and in 1996 with the
Panthers.
Buchsbaum: Eric Davis is another veteran corner who has slipped but should still be
able to contribute. It is sort of a Tom Knight-type signing.
Steelers preserve 3-4 from extinction
Last year, the Steelers were criticized for running a dinosaur defense. They were the
only NFL club to employ a 3-4 scheme, built around a strong quartet of linebackers. After
leading the league in defense, the expansion Houston Texans decided to mimic the
Steelers’ defensive front and looked for players to fit the scheme as they built
their roster. The Falcons and Ravens are also jumping on board, further preserving the
defense from extinction.
Buchsbaum: There’s no secret why teams are switching to it. The Steelers led the
league in defense playing it. It’s something that teams aren’t as prepared to
scheme against anymore. It used to be the base defense for most teams. Things go full
cycle. You mix up your defense. |
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The Archives
2001 - 2002 Season |
| Online writers
— features and columns by our PFW staff, columnists, national correspondent, AFC
reporters, NFC reporters and contributing writers |
| College football
— articles, college notepad, key college game previews, PFW's college top 10,
Scouting Combine, Senior Bowl, top 25 predictions |
| Fantasy football
— articles, injury reports, weekly fantasy tips, weekly matchups, The Fantasy Doctor,
"In our opinion" daily fantasy columns, Fantasy spins |
| Free-agency
— news and notes, updates and features |
| General features
— Internet features, features from our print edition, MVP meter, Rookie meter, They
said it, team reports, training camp reports |
| Handicapper's
Corner — staff selections, games of the week, PFW Players of the Week, NFL
standings, weekly handicapping columns, predictions, trends, tips and timely stats |
| "In our
opinion" daily columns — opinions on general football topics |
| "PFW spins"
— short-takes on current events |
| Joel
Buchsbaum — college player evaluations, NFL player analysis, NFL draft coverage,
NFL notepad, NFList, college game previews and other NFL articles by PFW's contributing
editor |
| NFL Draft —
player evaluations, printouts, feature stories, commentaries, draft recaps |
| Ron
Pollack — articles and commentary by PFW's editor-in-chief |
| Season in
review — the 2001-2002 NFL season |
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